This invention relates to structure usable for bandaging, such as bandaging of a wound area of the anatomy of a living subject Very specifically, it relates to a structure which enables bandaging of such an area, whereby the region bandaged and engaged by the structure of this invention is subjected to substantially an even and uniform, dynamically adaptable, overall pressure, without the existence of any appreciable high-pressure or low-pressure contact points.
It is well known that with respect to the healing of various wounds, such as those that result from surgical procedures, it is important that various fluid flows into and through the healing wound area, such a blood flow in that area, be allowed to continue substantially normal flow-behavior, in order to speed the healing process. It is also important in many instances to prevent the potentially problematic build-up of pooled, excess fluid in pockets under the skin.
Conventional bandaging approaches, however, do not often achieve ideal pressure-applying conditions. Very specifically, it is common in prior art practice that a the pressure-applying bandage will not properly, and most desireably, topographically follow the underlying contours of the anatomy, and will end up applying high pressure to certain regions, such as regions overlying a blood vessel, which elevated pressure will tend to constrict blood flow during the bandaging period, and thus prolong the healing process. Additionally, conventional bandaging which ends up applying overpressure in certain covered areas, also often ends up in applying underpressure in adjacent regions which then can promote the unwanted pooling of excess fluid in these regions. This overpressure/underpressure behavior is undesirable.
The present invention addresses these issues in a very satisfactory and practical manner by employing a bandaging structure which utilizes a low-spring-rate, compressible/flowable material, such as a viscoelastic material, which is a temperature and pressure responsive, acceleration-rate-sensitive material. Such a specialized-characteristic material, which, under compression in a bandaging situation, has been discovered to conform itself adaptively to the underlying bandaged anatomy, and even dynamically with respect, for example, to pulsatile topographic behavior, such as is common near a blood vessel where blood flows in a pulsatile manner. Such dynamic adaptation performance results in the underlying bandaged area being subjected to a substantially uniform, overall pressurexe2x80x94or at least a pressure area-distribution which does not constrict the normal flow of body fluids, such as blood. Topographic conformation as just outlined, aided by adjacent body temperature and bandaging compression, also deals very effectively with the matter of excess pooling of subcutaneous fluids.
Another type of fluid management condition which is important in certain bandaging situations involves bandaging relative to the lymph system. The bandaging structure of the present invention, just as it deals with pulsatile blood flow behavior of the category generally outlined above, also responds with like accommodation to behavior in and near the lymph system during a period of bandaging.
Preferably, that surface of the mentioned low-spring-rate cushioning material which directly faces the bandaging region on the anatomy is coated, or otherwise appropriately covered, with a thin layer of a moisture-barriering material. Such a material prevents any weeping wound fluid from working its way into the cushioning material, and perhaps thereby diminishing that material""s important pressure-evenizing and dynamic behaviors just discussed. However, there may also be situations in which moisture barriering is not a requirement, and in these circumstances, an embodiment of the invention which does not include an extra moisture-barrier layer may very readily and successfully be employed.
These and other objects and feature and advantages that are offered by the present invention will become more fully apparent as the description which now follows is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.